Atletico de Madrid has a smaller budget and less fame than other Spanish teams, like Real Madrid and Barcelona. From this position, it attempts to connect with ordinary people, workers, people who struggle, those who do not experience an easy life full of victories.

In this brief, Atletico de Madrid wanted to celebrate Father’s Day, but in a unique manner: by being more empathetic and more real than its competitors.

March 19 is Father’s Day in Spain, a very celebrated day in which all brands always congratulate fathers. But no one had ever congratulated stepfathers: that reviled figure who has to deal with their stepchildren.

Atlético de Madrid is a team universally known for its tenacity, for its fighting spirit and its famous maxim: one match at a time. Which is why Atlético congratulates all stepfathers, who share the same philosophy. Because like the football team, stepfathers never give up and gains the affection of youths through effort.

In Spain, 7 of 10 marriages end up breaking up. A reality that had never been reflected in Father’s Day communication. For this reason, the campaign has surpassed all records of impact in organic.

The strategy was to use the celebration of Father’s Day, when most brands congratulate fathers, to remember those who are always a bit in the shadows: stepfathers. While everyone is talking about fathers and their beautiful relationship with their children, this campaign deals with stepfathers and their difficult relationships with their stepchildren. This countercurrent strategy transformed the campaign into a viral phenomenon.

It was a very powerful insight. In Spain, 7 of 10 marriages end up breaking up. A reality that had never been reflected in Father’s Day communication. Stepfathers have always had a bad reputation in cinema and advertising. But everyone recognizes the difficulty of the task in front of them: gaining the affection of their stepchildren. With effort and consistency, the manage it. Like the philosophy of the famous football coach Cholo Simeone, who repeats in every press conference: one match at a time.

More than 7 million media impressions in 3 days.

201.560 interactions on social media.

Coverage valued in over 10 millions/€

+300% positive sentiment

0€ spent on media.